Greens defector teams up with One Nation to form inquiry into plans to raise Warragamba Dam wall

Greens defector Justin Field has teamed up with One Nation to push through a parliamentary inquiry into the government's controversial plan to raise the Warragamba Dam wall.

The government plans to raise the wall by at least 14 metres, but opponents say it could irreparably damage parts of the Blue Mountains bushland in the event of a major flood.

Warragamba Dam Credit:Wolter Peeters

The establishment of the inquiry comes after months of controversy surrounding the raising of the wall, with a leaked draft report to government suggesting up to 1300 hectares of the world heritage listed bushland could be permanently damaged by floodwaters.

Mr Field, an independent MP, garnered the support of One Nation and the opposition in the NSW upper house to set up the select committee, which will inquire into plans for any future development of property on the Hawkesbury Nepean Floodplain as a result of the project.

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Justin Field, who left the Greens to sit as an independent in the NSW upper house.

The government did not oppose the establishment of the committee, though it likely would have passed without its support.

The committee will also investigate the adequacy of the government's environmental impact statement and how the the plans could impact the nearby world heritage, aboriginal cultural heritage and the ecological values of the greater national park.

Conflicting reports into the final height of the dam will also be delved into by the committee, after it was revealed the govenrment may be secretly planning to build it even higher.

Mr Field said the proposal had never been properly scrutinised or open to public debate.

"This inquiry will be an opportunity to do that and I'm looking forward to being involved in the inquiry and engaging more directly with affected communities and other stakeholders," Mr Field said.

"There are very legitimate concerns about the impact this proposal will have on the World Heritage areas, Aboriginal cultural heritage, the Warragamba community and on plans for significant future property development on the flood plain."

The committee will include Mr Field, One Nation MP Rod Roberts, two Labor and three government members.

Environmentalist and Give a Dam community campaigner Harry Burkitt welcomed the new committee.

“Undoubtedly there are deals being done behind the scenes that the people of western Sydney don't know about,” Mr Burkitt said.

"This committee can hopefully get to the bottom of why developers are making so much money from allowing thousands of people to move onto western Sydney floodplains.

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Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the government welcomed the inquiry "as it will highlight the risk to life and property in the event of a catastrophic flood on the Hawkesbury Nepean floodplain".

Mr Ayres has previously said the government wants to raise the dam wall to protect the 90,000 people and 12,000 homes that lie in the floodplains downstream near the Hawkesbury-Nepean rivers.

He said the final decision on whether to raise the dam wall would only be made after financial, environmental and cultural assessments had concluded.